A dark day for Canada?

Yesterday, after suffering another loss of Olympic proportions - a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Russians - Canada was eliminated from medal contention in men's hockey. For Canadians, it seems, the Winter Olympics may as well be over.

Understandably, the men's poor showing in Turin has dominated headlines in this country. Hockey, after all, is our national pastime. However, in an almost anti-Olympic manner, men's hockey has completely overshadowed all other Olympic events.

Yesterday alone, Canada won four medals. Cindy Klassen's gold medal in the 1,500m event made her the first Canadian to win four medals in a single Winter Olympics. Despite these accomplishments, Feb. 22, 2006 will forever be remembered as the day Canada lost to Russia - a dark day in Canadian sporting history.

Since the 2006 Olympics began, CBC's television and most of its print coverage has focused on men's hockey. In a way, this devotion to one event is justified: the media are simply giving Canadians what they want.

It is fair to assume more Canadians will watch a men's hockey game than will watch the luge, speed skating or any other event. It follows that more Canadians will buy a newspaper with hockey on its front page rather than speed skating.

The same logic is no doubt employed in other countries. It is unlikely that Austrian media, for example, pay nearly as much attention to hockey as they do skiing.

Maybe it isn't the sport of hockey we are drawn to. After all, it can be argued that Canada's gold medal in women's hockey received less attention than the men's meaningless day-one win over Italy.

It is possible Canadians are drawn to men's Olympic hockey because of our idolization of NHL superstars, not because of the game itself. Based on this thought, it may be better for the Olympics to ban professional players from the Games, and promote amateur competition.

In every other Olympic sport, a gold medal represents the pinnacle of an athlete's career. In men's hockey, however, this is not the case. While Olympic gold is viewed as a proud accomplishment, the vast majority of NHL players - and their fans, for that matter - would take a Stanley Cup championship over a medal any day of the week.

Maybe yesterday's loss is today's gain. For the remainder of the week, Canadians should relish in the Olympic spirit and enjoy the sports that can only be enjoyed on this scale for two weeks once every four years. There are still plenty of medals to be contested before Sunday and, if we're lucky, Canadians may be on the podium.

Granted, many Canadians will find the hockey loss tough to swallow. Memories of yesterday will invoke feelings of pain for the next four years.

On the bright side, however, we can all sleep in on Sunday. The NHL playoffs - and hockey that really matters - are only two months away.

Author:Gazette Staff

Tearing up her insides: not a sexy issue

Re: "The Score Card: Gazette Sex Poll Results pt. 3," Feb. 14, 2006.

To the Editor:One person's response to the "Most bizarre answers" section of The Gazette's Sex Issue Score Card - "I sent my girlfriend to the hospital... twice. I tore her up inside." - was not only bizarre but also absolutely unrelated to sex. Instead, it had everything to do with violence. It is my deepest hope that this response was printed because it was deemed to be grotesque and not because it was viewed as acceptable or even funny.

Unfortunately, sexual violence is a pervasive tragedy that affects students at Western and men and women around the world. Everyone has the right to be respected in a relationship. If you are experiencing abuse, please seek help. You can contact the Women's Issues Network in Room 258 of the University Community Centre or via e-mail at usc.womens.issues@uwo.ca. In London, the Sexual Assault Centre can be reached through its 24-hour hotline at 438-2272 or at 379 Dundas St.

Kelly WilsonVP-Campus Issues,
University Students' Council

Author:Gazette Staff

Hugo Chavez needs to go

To the Editor:During the last five years, the United States has placed democracy and human rights at the heart of its foreign policy. Although the focus of the Bush Doctrine has remained the Middle East, there are other areas of the world that deserve attention.

One such place is Venezuela, a country whose president, Hugo Chavez, has rolled back democratic institutions and will do everything in his power to ensure his own "re-election" this December.

Since a failed coup attempt in 2002 and a recall election in 2004 that almost cost him the presidency, Chavez has severely curtailed political rights, cracked down on media dissent and organized an intimidation campaign against opposition forces.

This past December, Chavez was again tested at the polls in a parliamentary election. Amidst a massive boycott campaign by the opposition, Chavez managed only 15 per cent of the total 18 per cent turnout.

It is widely understood that Chavez will not allow himself to be voted out of office this December. It must be assumed he will lie, cheat, and steal his way back to the presidency.

While many on the left support Chavez and his progressive domestic policies (ironically similar to the left's support for the repressive Sandinista regime in Nicaragua during the ‘80s) he is clearly anti-democratic and lacks the support of his people.

Our goal should be to support a peaceful transition of power in Caracas. We should follow the successful steps used to oust Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1986. First, the U.S. (with Canadian help?) should exhaust every avenue possible (United Nations, Organization of American States, NGOs) to ensure international pressure is put upon Chavez to hold free and fair elections. Second, the National Endowment for Democracies should make available all necessary funds to support opposition groups and voter registration initiatives. With the eyes of the world upon him this December, Chavez will be left with little room with which to maneuver.

If the Venezuelan people know we are willing to stand for their freedom, then I am confident they will take back their country - whether at the ballot box or, following another political hijacking by Chavez, through peaceful protests in the streets of Venezuela.

D. Eric SayersPresident,
Campus Coalition for Democracies UWO

Author:Gazette Staff

Boneheads screw up exam schedule

To the Editor:I would like to give a big hats off to the boneheads who run this circus of an educational institution.

I've come to expect that administration purposely screws up; I think it's trying to keep us on our toes. But this latest move of having exams on April 30 could quite possibly be one of the dumbest things it's done in awhile.

First of all, it screws a lot of people who have to work elsewhere on this planet. They definitely weren't thinking about the graduates, or any other students for that matter, who start work at the beginning of May. What happens when someone has a 7 p.m. exam on Sunday, April 30 and then has to be at work in Vancouver on Monday, May 1? Not all of us have the luxury of being able to take the first couple days of work off because most places of employment aren't run like the Club Med institution that Western has become for its staff.

Secondly, what about the people who have to move out on April 30, have an exam at 7 p.m. that night, and have to be out by midnight? Where the fuck are they going to sleep? And when the hell are they going to move out? Ever think of that? Of course not! If only the questions on my April exams were so easy!

Would it have been so difficult to axe one day off our school year so we could all finish on April 29? I assume simple logic and a little bit of foresight are not required of our administrators before they pick up their fat cheques these days.

To the people who schedule these exams: I hope you're reading this, because I'm coming to sleep at your house on April 30, and there better be a freakin' chocolate mint on my pillow when I arrive!